WA community pleads for bizarre ‘phantom worm thief’ to come forward
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Exclusive: A Western Australian community has been left reeling by a string of bizarre thefts from the local community garden.
A “phantom worm thief” has been stealing huge handfuls of worms from the worm farm at Padbury Community Garden, about 20 minutes north of Perth, for months.
Worms have been stolen by the handful from Padbury Community Garden. Sandy How
The thefts escalated last week when an entire tree was taken just hours after it was planted.
Sandy How, secretary and grants coordination leader at the garden, has been asking herself the same question ever since it vanished.
“Who the hell steals a tree?” she told nine.com.au.
“It had literally just been pulled out from the ground, and it was the most expensive one, of course.”
The miniature cherry tree was worth $180 and had been planted during a community busy bee event at the garden on the afternoon of Sunday, July 21.
By Monday morning, it was gone.
More worms and worm castings had also been stolen from the garden.
“It’s so random, and it seems really selfish,” How said.
“If they wanted some worms, the lady who runs the worm farm sells handfuls of the worms for $5, and she gives that money back to the garden.”
Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Skipper: mskipper@nine.com.au
Members planted this miniature cherry tree on Sunday afternoon and was stolen hours later. Sandy How
Desperate to put an end to the thefts before they escalate further, members of Padbury Community Garden went to City of Joondalup Council to ask about getting security cameras installed.
How said they were told it’s a “no go”, largely due to the cost.
Nine.com.au has contacted City of Joondalup Council for comment.
Another option would be to fully fence the garden and install gates to keep non-members out, but How said that would defeat the community element.
“We want it to be open to the community, that’s what we built it for,” she said.
“It’s about bringing people together, and reducing isolation, and advancing mental health – but we don’t really know how else to safeguard what’s there.”
Members have taken to painting the trunks of trees in the garden so that if they’re stolen, they will be easy to identify.
But without cameras, How fears the thefts will continue to escalate and turn locals away from the garden.
“People feel like, why do we put all this effort in if it’s not going to be respected?” she said.
“It’s a lot of work, and we all have full-time jobs as well.”
Members have taken to painting the trunks of their trees in a desperate big to prevent theft. Sandy How
Locals have started a change.org petition to get security cameras installed at the garden.
How also issued a public plea for the “phantom worm thief” to join the Padbury Community Garden and become part of the team instead of stealing.
“Come and see the work that gets done, and what the community does without having to steal,” she urged.
“It’s so much nicer watching other people share it with you.”
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